Bottle-washing apparatus.



PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

M. FEUERSTEIN.

BOTTLE WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1903 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NO MODEL.

fizncvziozr 22% W W M67262? as PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

M. FEUERSTEIN.

BOTTLE WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1903.

3 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

I M672 eases A? J No. 769,733. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904. M. FEUERSTEIN.

BOTTLE WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 213.25. 1903.

no MODEL. 7 a SHBETBSHEET 3.

2 Wibzasses: fiwgrior UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLE-WASHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,733, dated September 13, 1904.. Application filed February 25, 1903. Serial No. 145.032- (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAX FEUERSTEIN, a citizen of the Empire of Austria-Hungary, residing at East Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Vashing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved bottle-washing machine, showing a case of bottles in position for advancing toward the centering funnels and brushes. Fig. 2 is a partial similar view showing the bottle advanced and the brush inserted in its interior. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the brush, its hollow rotating spindle, the water-supply pipe, and the funnel. Fig. 5 is a partial similar view showing the operation of introducing the bottle over the brush. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line VI VI of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a similar view on the line VII VII of Fig. 1.

My invention relates to bottle-washingmachines, and is peculiarly adapted to washing beer-bottles while contained in the cases in which they come from the consumer, said cases being ordinarily adapted to hold one, two, or three dozens of bottles.

The objects of the invention are to provide means whereby rotating brushes may be inserted simultaneously into an ordinary case of empty bottles, water being supplied to the brushes during such operation, with means for introducing the brushes into the bottles, means for simultaneously rotating all of the brushes and of supplying water thereto during their scouring operation, together with other details of construction, as shall be more fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 is a base or platform of any suitable construction upon which the supporting-frame and the operative mechanism of the machine are mounted.

3 3 and 4 4 represent lower and upper guide rails or tracks for the sleeve-carriage and the bottle-case carriage.

At one end of the machine is mounted a rigid plate or housing 5, in which are rotatably mounted a series of intermcshing pinions 6, one of the pinions of the train being in engagement with a driving-pinion 7, mounted on a driving-shaft 8, located in suitable bearings at the upper or any suitable portion of the housing 5 and adapted to be driven by a belt and pulley 9 or other suitable gearing. Each of the pinions 6 has a hollow spindle 10 secured in its center, extending forwardly a sufficient distance to provide clearance for the travel of the sleeve-carriage and terminating in a brush 11. At the other end of the hollow spindle 10 is introduced a small inlet-pipe 12, communicating with a main supplyape 13 and adapted to supply water through the hollow spindle and perforations 1 at its outer end immediately back of the brush.

15 is a sleeve-carriage consisting of a vertical carrying-support of any suitable construction mounted on upper and lower wheels 16, preferably flanged and running upon the tracks 3 and 1. The arrangement of the wheels 16 on each side of the frame 15 at top and bottom and front and back provides a rigid roller carriage which will not tip. Mounted in the sleeve-carriage is a series of short sleeves or tubes 17, terminating at their outer ends in funnels 18, adapted to embrace and centrally guide the necks of the bottles 19. The tubes 17 correspond in location on the frame to the centers of the hollow spindles 10 and, as shown in the drawings, make a telescoping joint over said spindles and their brushes when drawn out to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus confining the brush within a restricted area less than the internal diameter of the bottle-neck. The bottle-case 20 is set upon a supporting platform or carriage 21, carried by wheels 22 upon the tracks 3, the case being of the ordinary construction and provided with cross-partitions 20, by which the bottles are held in fixed relative position to each other, as will be readily understood.

The main supply-pipe 13 is provided with a controlling-valve 23, the stem of which is connected with a shifting lever 24:, extending along the machine and provided with an abutment 25, adapted to be engaged by the sleevecarriage 15, as shown in Fig. 3, by which the supply of water is cut off when the sleevecarriage is drawn outwardly to its inoperative position. When the sleeve-carriage is advanced by the bottles, the rod 2 L will be moved and the valve 23 opened to supply water to the hollow spindle by means of a spring 26 or other suitable device.

The operation is as follows: The case of bottles having been placed upon the carriage, it is carried forward thereby until the necks of the bottles make centering contact with the funnels, and upon further forward travel of the bottles the funnels will be pushed backwardly, causing the bottle-necks to advance around the brushes, thereby introducing the.

brushes into the bottles. Power is then applied through pulley and belt 9 to rotate the pinions 6, spindles 10, and brushes 11, while water is supplied to them at the same time by the operation of valve 23 as the sleeve-carriage commences to move. The brushes will thus be rotated at the desired speed within the interior of thebottles, which are also being supplied with water. Upon further advancing the bottle-carrier the entire interior length of the bottles may be thus washed and also their bottoms by the rapid rotation of the brushes.

Any suitable means for advancing the carriage 21 and also the sleeve-carriage along the tracks may be employed, and means may also be devised for drawing these parts back at the end of the washing operation; but I 4 have not shown such means, and they may be provided by the skilled mechanic or easily designed to suit the apparatus. Good results may be secured by merely advancing the carriage 21 and also withdrawing it by hand.

Upon the completion of the washing operation the parts are returned to their starting positions, the water is shut ofif, and the power thrown off the spindle-rotating mechanism, if

desired, when the case of bottles may be removed and another case substituted.

The advantages of this construction will be readily appreciated by those accustomed to the operation of washing bottles. It is very eflicientand capable of washing a comparatively large number of bottles in a short space of time, while the operation is very thorough in each bottle.

The apparatus is simple and economical in construction, not liable to get out of order, and will be found to perform the functions for which it is designed in a very satisfactory manner.

Having described my invention, what I claim is In a bottle-washing machine, a frame having supported by and horizontally extending from one end thereof a set of longitudinallyfiXed revoluble spindles carrying brushes, a water-supply system for said brushes, upper and lower horizontal longitudinally-arranged tracks at opposite sides of the frame, a car riage carrying a series of funnel-sleeves having a telescopic movement over said spindles and brushes, said carriage being provided with wheels traveling on said tracks, a car riage mounted on wheels and adapted to carry a case of bottles and to be moved to present the bottles carried thereby to said funnelsleeves, whereby upon such movement of the bottle-case carriage the bottles are first inserted into the funnels and afterward by simultaneous movement of the sleeve and hottle-case carriages the bottle-necks are caused to telescopically inclose the brushes; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAX FEUERSTEIN.

Witnesses:

DAVID BALDINGER, SAM STONE. 

